With the 10th pick in the NBA Draft the Houston Rockets Select...

Coward is nowhere near Demin when it comes to ball handling, passing or navigating the pick and roll.

Demin and Jakucionis are the two best passers & pick and roll players in this draft and no one else is remotely close.

 

Jase Richardson will likely have more early success than Sheppard because of his reach advantage (8'2.50). This is why he can finish around the basket. Reed's standing reach is 7'9.50.

But to your point, Kasparas' standing reach is 8'3.50 and Demin's is 8'9.50.

Yes, Egor has a foot of reach on Sheppard. That is an overwhelming advantage on every play.

One more note on athletic testing for Demin. His shuttle run (2.93) and 3/4 sprint numbers (3.33) are comparable to Stephon Castle's (2.91 and 3.19) from last year. Since we can recognize how good an athlete Castle is, this gives an idea of how to measure Demin, who is going to get a lot stronger and has 3 inches on Castle.

 

The more I watch Coward's gametape and his interviews, the more I like. Looks like he has great feel for the game on both ends and the way he moves around the court is so effortless and efficient. His shot has textbook form, and from the few games he had this year, seems like he's just a step ahead of everybody just in terms of thinking the game. Also helps that he has a crazy wingspan.

In terms of highest offensive potential in this draft, seems like it might be Flagg, Harper, Bailey, and then Coward or Tre Johnson.

 

I pretty much agree with this & you could say the same thing about drafting a big.

Assuming they bring back Adams this team has more forwards & bigs than it has minutes and the catalyst for their record was driven by those forwards & bigs. The starting 3 was their best shooter from start to finish & they can all defend at a high level.

What they lack is consistent quality guard play.

Jalen Green was literally the only shooting guard on the roster on an NBA contract until late in the season when Jeenathan Williams was converted from a two way to a standard contract. There were no real options at the position.

FVV was the only playable point guard on the roster too .... we saw the impact of having no one behind him when he and Jabari went down with injuries resulting in the worst stretch of the season in terms of record. The offense went from bad to worse ....

You can't go into another season without options at both of those positions.

I like a couple of these forwards in this draft - especially Fleming and to some degree Bryant & Murray Boyles but there just isn't minutes to be had or room on the roster for these guys unless some type of consolidation move is made and there is a desperate need for more than just a warm body at the SG & PG spots.


I just can't understand every mock showing the Rockets take another big or another forward when their greatest need is a guard.

 

[Yahoo] NBA Mock Draft 2.0

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
4. Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
5. Utah Jazz: Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, G, Texas
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma
8. Brooklyn Nets: Noa Essengue, F, Ratiopharm Ulm
9. Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke

10. Houston Rockets: Kasparas Jakučionis, G, Illinois
The Reed Sheppard selection one year ago signaled the Rockets were looking for a future shot creator who can someday take over for Fred VanVleet. Taking Jakučionis would give them another guy in the developmental pipeline. The Illinois freshman is a slick shot creator with a creative passing gene and a fearless scoring ability, carving up defenses with crafty finishes, step-back jumpers and jaw-dropping passes. But he’d follow up those highlights with turnover brain-farts that would derail the hype train. So, much like Sheppard, he might need time to figure things out in the G League.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
12. Chicago Bulls: Derik Queen, C, Maryland
13. Atlanta Hawks: Asa Newell, F, Georgia
14. San Antonio Spurs: Liam McNeeley, F, Connecticut
15. Oklahoma City (via Miami): Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina
16. Orlando Magic: Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit): Cedric Coward, G, Washington State
18. Washington Wizards (via Memphis): Egor Demin, G, BYU
19. Brooklyn Nets (via Milwaukee): Nolan Traoré, G, Saint-Quentin
20. Miami Heat (via Golden State): Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State

 

There is some potential help available at the guard position in the draft.

Kasparas Jakučionis, who bears a strong resemblance to GS's Podz, should be high on the wishlist, but K is gone by #10. I'm shocked if Jeremiah Fears or Kon Knueppel drop past Brooklyn.

Egor Demin shows great promise, but he'll face severe growing pains in the backcourt as he's not strong enough to hold down many minutes. Of the other PGs, Jase Richardson and Walter Clayton Jr. should be good pros, but both lack a little size, and we already have enough roster problems with smallish PGs.

Overall, it may be easier to acquire another guard through free agency or trade consolidations.

The worst-case scenario is a 'run-it-back' mentality that results in a #10 pick without a corresponding consolidation or free agency move. If Stone makes this type of non-move, whoever is selected in the draft will be hopelessly tied to the bench.

 

Fleming not on here. Get out of here, he's a no brainer top 10.

 

21. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota): Will Riley, F, Illinois
22. Atlanta Hawks (via Lakers): Noah Penda, F, Le Mans
23. Indiana Pacers: Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (via L.A. Clippers): Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB

25. Orlando Magic (via Denver): Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph's

26. Brooklyn Nets (via New York): Danny Wolf, C, Michigan
27. Brooklyn Nets (via Houston): Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
28. Boston Celtics: Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown
29. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland): Ben Saraf, G, Ratiopharm Ulm
30. L.A. Clippers (via Oklahoma City): Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn

 

Not sure why Walter Clayton isn't getting more run. That guy can score

 

how is the combine with this guy any good

 

isn’t he like 6’2?

 

After looking more I think Kasparas is probably the best option assuming he's there. He isn't undersized. He plays tough and seeks contact on drives. He can create his own shot and he moves the ball. He gets to the line a lot and shot 85% there. His shot isn't busted even though he only shot 32% from 3. He doesn't seem like a PG though. He can be out of control, turnover prone, and take bad shots though. His athleticism isn't great either.

 

I'm a Jakucionis guy but having those specific strengths doesn't mean he'd be the best fit for this team. With Amen and Al P as our core players a rookie's ballhandling and PNR skills might be completely underutilized. We need shooting and scoring in the worst way. If Coward had a Klay Thompson type game (elite shooter and weak ballhandler and passer) he could still be the best complement to our existing core.

 

I've been pushing Jakučionis & Demin in the draft section since mid season ..... I would expect Jakučionis to play / contribute next year, Demin maybe not so much but both are such good passers and adept pick and roll players that they could get on the court ..... If they can defend.

 

Being a good or great GM is about having vision about potential realities. His vision has pretty clearly been in need of readers since drafting Maxey. Rockets dodged a potentially massive nonconstructive melt down when he moved to Philly. Thank you Philly and thank you Morey!

 

I see Demin as my Jalen Williams of this draft. Carter Bryant and Rasheer Flemming fans... I'm with you. Special skills in those guys that I would love to have on this team. However, if I'm rolling the dice to get a jump on my competition with a potentially special player... Demin. All the way.

 

After one YouTube video I’d draft Kasparas and trade Reed

 

Yeah but Coward is the best shooter, best defender and most athletic of the 3. But yeah both Jak and Demin are also good players I am also ok with them at 10.

Coward is a shooting guard not really a pg.

Anyway I hope Stone is working overtime to trade for more FRPs. I think there are so many players with potential in the late lotto/teens range.

 

Would love a Sengun type trade this draft

 

If we could give Kasparas Reed's shooting then he'd be stellar for us....but it seems like shooting is his biggest weakness.